A family who lost their cheeky pet budgie when it flew out of the house were overjoyed after he was found five days later.
One-year-old Chip, who swears, dances and even plays football, was discovered sitting on a car roof after his epic adventure.
Paula Hill, 31, her partner Tony Connell, 38, and their kids Braedynn, 10, and 10-month-old baby Cruz were left heartbroken after he disappeared.
Paula, from Alloa, said: “Chip is Braedynn’s best pal so he was just devastated.
“He couldn’t stop crying and begging for him to come back – it was heartbreaking.
“Folk might say ‘oh he’s just a budgie’ but he’s no ordinary wee bird. He’s extra special and a total one-off with all the funny things he does. I’ve had budgies before and some don’t talk or interact at all but Chip was chirpy and affectionate right from the start.”
Over 500 people shared her Facebook plea to find Chip –and five days later the family got a call from the SSPCA to say they had found him.
Paula said: “We were totally shocked and didn’t believe it because we just couldn’t understand how our wee pampered bird could have survived five days out there in the wild on his own.
“We got him during lockdown last May and I think, because we were all at home together, he picked up on all of us chatting all the time and just started copying us.
“Tony works with the Covid test and trace team so is always on the phone and we noticed Chip was mimicking him a lot and even talking in a Glaswegian accent.
“He also likes to sit on Braedynn’s headset and chat to his pals when he’s on his PlayStation.
“He likes saying his own name and asking for kisses and even makes the kissing sound. He also absolutely loves music and dancing.
"Sometimes he goes off on a wee rant on the windowsill and starts swearing away to himself – he’s hilarious.
“He’s cheeky too and likes to wind Cruz up by flying in front of him and trying to eat all his food when he’s in the high chair. He always wants whatever we are eating and loves toast and paté, cups of tea and diluting juice. He also likes to go for a shower in the sink.
“He’s been such a source of comfort recently for Braedynn as he was getting bullied at school and Chip was always there to sit on his shoulder and make him smile.”
To try to cheer Braedynn up while Chip was missing, Paula got him another budgie but sadly it died the same day.
She said: “Obviously this made Braedynn even more upset after losing Chip and I just kept thinking, ‘How much more heartache can my wee boy go through?’”
Just as the family had given up all hope, they received a call from the SSPCA to say Chip had been found just a mile from home.
Paula said: “The first thing Chip did was fly out of the box and hop on all of our heads, then he headed straight to his food bowl. He was so hungry, bless him.
“We’ve now told him he’s grounded, to which he replied in his wee budgie robot voice: ‘Aw, Chip’s a good boy!’
“All my friends and family kept telling me he needs his own fan page so I’ve set up a Facebook and YouTube page for him and uploaded the funny wee videos of him talking and swearing.”
